Brand Homes content guidelines

We strive to connect with all our customers and to be inclusive, by avoiding controversial and offensive content. We believe in being neutral and non-educational, in contrast to the preferred image positioning of certain brands.

Avoid actions included but not limited to the following list:

• Discriminatory and hateful activities

• Political extremism

• Adult content

• Glorifying violence and use of weapons

• Defamation of religion

• Perpetuation of stereotypes and cultural appropriation 

• Objectification and exploitation

• Self-injury and harmful behaviour

• Substance use and abuse

• Inappropriate language

• Infringement of intellectual property rights

• In addition to our Animal Welfare and Sustainable Sourcing Policies

If you are creating content for your brand and want to share it on Zalando, you have to adhere to further guidelines.

• Models should look healthy and respect EU standards on minimum sizes (e.g. visibly underweight). 

• Children’s underwear and beachwear may not be shown on models.

• Adult garments must be shown only on models visibly over 18 years of age, especially when showing underwear and beachwear.

• Models may not conceal their chest, genitalia, or buttocks with their own body parts or the body parts of other models (e.g. arms, hands, legs). These body parts should always be covered by clothing instead. 

• Models may not be represented in derogatory or discriminatory poses, including poses that are objectifying, overtly sexualised or perpetuate stereotypes (e.g. women subservient to men).

• Images may not be overly retouched (specifically, darker skin tones may not be lightened).

Due to strict timelines around sales communication that need to be adhered to, terms like sale, promotion, %, etc., in copy, images, and videos are strictly forbidden on Brand Homes and will therefore be rejected in the content review process.

As an alternative, you can write a copy that uses generic words that can trigger an emotion or response from customers, for example, shop the last pieces, limited time offer, and similar expressions.

Do not use sustainable in complete terms. As this is a very sensitive topic, we cannot claim to be 100% sustainable; each brand is very different in their processes and materials.

Do not use abbreviations that do not translate well, for example, SS for Spring Summer, especially in German-speaking countries due to negative political and/or historical connotations.

To match our brand and approach our customers in an efficient yet inspirational way, these main points must be considered:

Zalando provides fashion inspiration. So our copy should be fun, inspiring, and positive.

We love being funny and inclusive. That’s why we shouldn’t reference any gender or heteronormative stereotypes or clichés.

The purpose is to drive revenues, but don’t sound needy.

Instead of using complex sentences, brackets, or passive constructions, try to stick to active forms and short sentences.

Always mention your brand name in the title or subtitle to make it clear to customers that the content relates to your brand.

Do not add Emojis to your copy.

There is already a standard CTA built in, it will be added automatically. No need to add call-to-actions like Shop now to your copy.

• Use standard sentence case when writing your copy.

• Don't use exclamation marks ! as they can be misinterpreted as shouting.

• Within the description field, always end your sentences with a full stop.

• Apply British English spelling when writing in English.

• Always use a localised copy for each market to make sure that customers understand your message correctly in the context of the content.

Always use high resolution images. See our image size requirements and use the highest resolution images available to avoid your image appearing blurry or pixelated.

Shoppers scroll through their feeds quickly, so make sure to show your brand and articles communicate your message efficiently. Use only one image instead of a collage for the app, to keep the focus on the product or narrative.

Include your brand logo in images, but keep it subtle. Your logo should play a supporting role within the image and help to the visual narrative without creating visual noise. Also avoid overuse of graphical elements that convolute the narrative and diminish storytelling.

Avoid too much text on the image. If you need to include text in your image, try using fewer words and/or reducing the font size of your text while maintaining readability.

Ensure images are relevant to the target gender group. If you’re creating a Collection and want to target multiple audiences (e.g., Women and Men), it is crucial that you use an inclusive image with both a male and female model or no models at all.

See our video size requirements and use the highest resolution videos available to avoid your video appearing blurry.

Use graphical elements such as your logo, to maintain consistency and promote brand recognition. But use them sparingly.

Start with a strong hook and keep it short. Data shows that the average watching time is 3 seconds. So, we recommend that you lead with a clear message to capture people's attention.

Videos that are only in English are ok and will be accepted for nearly all markets. Preferably, use localised subtitles or audio in order to be understood, authentic and relatable.

Ensure the videos are relevant to the targeted gender group(s).